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But notwithstanding this modest confidence in himself, Mr Toots appeared to be involved in a good deal of uncertainty whether, on the whole, it was judicious to button the bottom button of his waistcoat, and whether, on a calm revision of all the circumstances, it was best to wear his waistbands turned up or turned down. Observing that Mr Feeder's were turned up, Mr Toots turned his up; but the waistbands of the next arrival being turned down, Mr Toots turned his down. The differences in point of waistcoat—buttoning, not only at the bottom, but at the top too, became so numerous and complicated as the arrivals thickened, that Mr Toots was continually fingering that article of dress, as if he were performing on some instrument; and appeared to find the incessant execution it demanded, quite bewildering. All the young gentlemen, tightly cravatted, curled, and pumped, and with their best hats in their hands, having been at different times announced and introduced, Mr Baps, the dancing—master, came, accompanied by Mrs Baps, to whom Mrs Blimber was extremely kind and condescending. Mr Baps was a very grave gentleman, with a slow and measured manner of speaking; and before he had stood under the lamp five minutes, he began to talk to Toots (who had been silently comparing pumps with him) about what you were to do with your raw materials when they came into your ports in return for your drain of gold. Mr Toots, to whom the question seemed perplexing, suggested 'Cook 'em.' But Mr Baps did not appear to think that would do.
圖茨先生雖然懷有適度的自信心，但是總的來說，他背心上最下面的一顆鈕扣究竟扣上是不是合適，同時把一切情況冷靜思考過之后，他的袖口究竟最好是卷上來還是卷下去，他好像都很猶豫不決。當(dāng)他看到菲德先生的袖口是卷上的，他就把自己的袖口也卷上，但下一個來的人的袖口是卷下的，他就把自己的袖口也卷下。背心的鈕扣的扣法不僅在最下面的一顆，而且在最上面的一顆也有差別；隨著來到的人們愈來愈多，這些差別變得那么多那么復(fù)雜，因此圖茨先生的手指就不斷地翻動著衣服上的那個附屬品，仿佛在操作某個儀器似的；他覺得這種要求不停進(jìn)行的動作真使人不知該怎么辦才好。所有這些年輕的先生們，領(lǐng)帶系得緊緊的，頭發(fā)燙得卷卷曲曲，腳上穿著輕舞鞋，手里拿著最好的禮帽，都在不同的時間被通報和介紹了；在這之后，舞蹈教師巴普斯先生在巴普斯夫人的陪同下來到了，布林伯夫人對他們特別親切友好和謙虛有禮。巴普斯先生是一位很莊重的先生，講話慢條斯理，字斟句酌；他在燈下站了不到五分鐘，就開始跟圖茨先生談話（圖茨先生一直在默默地跟他比較輕舞鞋），談的是：當(dāng)別人把原料送到您的港口跟您交換金子的時候，您該怎么處理您的原料。這個問題對圖茨先生來說是復(fù)雜難解的，他就建議說，“把它們煮了。”可是巴普斯先生看來并不認(rèn)為那是個可行的辦法。
Paul now slipped away from the cushioned corner of a sofa, which had been his post of observation, and went downstairs into the tea—room to be ready for Florence, whom he had not seen for nearly a fortnight, as he had remained at Doctor Blimber's on the previous Saturday and Sunday, lest he should take cold. Presently she came: looking so beautiful in her simple ball dress, with her fresh flowers in her hand, that when she knelt down on the ground to take Paul round the neck and kiss him (for there was no one there, but his friend and another young woman waiting to serve out the tea), he could hardly make up his mind to let her go again, or to take away her bright and loving eyes from his face.
這時保羅從沙發(fā)中墊上墊子的一個角落（他把它作為他的觀察哨）中悄悄地溜開，走到樓下一個喝茶的房間中，準(zhǔn)備迎接弗洛倫斯；他已經(jīng)將近兩個星期沒有看到她了；因為唯恐會著涼，他在上星期六和星期天都留在布林伯博士的學(xué)校中。不一會兒她來了；她穿著樸素的舞衣，手里拿著鮮花，看上去是那么美麗；她跪到地上，摟著保羅的脖子，并吻著他（因為除了他的朋友梅麗亞和在那里等著向外端茶的另一位年輕的婦女外，沒有其他人在那里），這時候他簡直下不了決心讓她再走開，或把她的明亮的、喜愛他的眼睛從他的臉上移開。
'But what is the matter, Floy?' asked Paul, almost sure that he saw a tear there.
“可是這是怎么回事，弗洛伊？”保羅問道；他幾乎可以肯定，他在那里看到一顆眼淚。
'Nothing, darling; nothing,' returned Florence.
“沒有什么，親愛的，沒有什么，”弗洛倫斯回答道。
Paul touched her cheek gently with his finger — and it was a tear! 'Why,Floy!' said he.
保羅用手指輕輕地摸摸她的臉頰——不錯，那確實是一顆眼淚！“啊，弗洛伊！”他說道。
'We'll go home together, and I'll nurse you, love,' said Florence.
“我們將一起回家去；我將護(hù)理您，親愛的，”弗洛倫斯說道。
'Nurse me!' echoed Paul.
“護(hù)理我！”保羅重復(fù)地說道。
Paul couldn't understand what that had to do with it, nor why the two young women looked on so seriously, nor why Florence turned away her face for a moment, and then turned it back, lighted up again with smiles.
保羅不明白這跟眼淚有什么關(guān)系，也不明白為什么這兩位年輕的婦女這么認(rèn)真地看著，也不明白為什么弗洛倫斯把臉轉(zhuǎn)過去片刻，然后又轉(zhuǎn)回來，閃露著微笑。
'Floy,' said Paul, holding a ringlet of her dark hair in his hand. 'Tell me, dear, Do you think I have grown old—fashioned?'
“弗洛伊，”保羅手中握著她的一束黑色的卷發(fā)，說道，“告訴我，親愛的。你是不是認(rèn)為我變得老氣了？”
'Because I know they say so,' returned Paul, 'and I want to know what they mean, Floy.' But a loud double knock coming at the door, and Florence hurrying to the table, there was no more said between them. Paul wondered again when he saw his friend whisper to Florence, as if she were comforting her; but a new arrival put that out of his head speedily.
“因為我知道他們這么說，”保羅回答道，“我想知道他們這么說是什么意思，弗洛伊。”可是門上傳來很響的敲門聲，弗洛倫斯急忙走到桌旁，姐弟兩人就沒有再說什么話。保羅看到他的朋友梅麗亞向弗洛倫斯低聲說了些什么，仿佛在安慰她似的，這又使他感到奇怪；但是一位新來的人迅速地驅(qū)除了他頭腦中的詫異。
